Letters to the editor: Road fix an excessive overreach

Monday, February 25, 2013

Road fix an excessive overreach

Legislators in Lansing must be put on notice that Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposed big road fix plan to be paid for with $1.2 billion in higher gas taxes and vehicle registration fees is an excessive overreach that will burden far too many middle class Michigan families. Furthermore, Snyder’s proposal is a model in double taxation and an expensive financial hit for Michigan drivers who already pay dearly at the gas pump and when renewing their vehicle registration.

Michigan’s current 19-cent per-gallon gas tax ranks among the highest in the United States. If Snyder’s $1.2 billion road proposal comes to fruition in its current form, the average driver who uses 20 gallons of gasoline per week will be adding another 14 cents per-gallon toward their weekly gas expense. That will equate to approximately $140 a year in additional gas taxes and coupled with the proposed $120 increase in vehicle registration, the high-cost outcome will force many middle class car and light-truck owners to pay an additional $260 a year.

Lawmakers must also take in consideration of the fact that many households in Michigan have multiple vehicles. Snyder’s excessive higher gas tax and vehicle fees proposal can amount easily to $500 to $1,000 per household. This is a stiff increase where middle class families will be forced to take money off the kitchen table and make the decision to spend less in their local economy.

Voters should also remind lawmakers in Lansing that Michigan still has a struggling economy, with the unemployment rate remaining high and steady at 8.9 percent, and the state economy is currently working under the very real threat of federal government sequestration which may cost thousands of workers in Michigan their jobs.

Now is not the time to support Snyder’s huge and massive $1.2 billion transportation funding proposal. More hard work remains to be done by state lawmakers in coming up with a commonsense approach to fix our state roads. Snyder and lawmakers should take their time and consider all financially feasible solutions and incremental alternatives that will not carry the burden of being such a huge and excessive financial blow for the many middle class Michigan families.

It’s apparent the loyal opposition to Snyder’s costly road plan already realize that if there is going to be hell-to-pay at the gas pump and when renewing their vehicle registration, then lawmakers are going to have to accept the reality that will happen on Election Day in 2014.

KENNETH HREHA Dryden Keep women out of combat

Since time began armies were composed of fighting men whose strength includes being cohesive and indivisible.

I would not want my mother, sister, wife, daughter or granddaughter to fight for me. I prefer fighting for them, to the death if necessary. The Associated Press recently reported, “More than a dozen U.S. veterans who say they were raped or assaulted by comrades filed a class-action suit in federal court.” Close to a third of female veterans say they were victims of rape or assault while serving. Putting women in combat units and the consequent training of them by and with young men with large sexual appetites is a huge mistake.

Nearly 20 percent of women who pull ship duty get pregnant. In only one year 38 sailors became pregnant on the USS Eisenhower. Men and women sharing barracks is a perfect recipe for putting servicewomen “on the shelf” and at great expense to the taxpayers.

Further, if in times of conflict, a female is taken prisoner she will be sexually violated.

In addition, ignoring the very few exceptions, the strength and endurance of men is greater, necessitating lower standards of physical fitness for women which weakens our military. One study found that 45 percent of female Marines couldn’t throw a grenade outside the burst radius.

A strong defense is absolutely necessary and our armed forces should not be weakened by social experiments in the military.